Battle Mountain Scenic Corridor

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Gurdane Road

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Indian Lake

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Alkali Canyon Road and Mud Springs Canyon Road

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East Birch Creek and Pearson Creek Roads (SE of Pilot Rock)

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Seasons

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Location

This area is 35 miles south of Pendleton on Hwy 395. The corridor is 4 miles long and is signed on both ends. Battle Mountain State Park is in the middle of the corridor. Birding is good throughout the area so use pullouts and get out and walk. The corridor is surrounded by private lands; the state lands are the highway and the land within the fences on either side of the highway.

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Habitat and Birds

This area has a mixed forest of pine, larch, and Douglas fir. The park is closed in the winter but you can park at the gate and walk around. Birds you might find here include Ruffed Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Mountain Quail, Wild Turkey, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Great Horned Owl, Great Gray Owl, Long-eared Owl, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Common Nighthawk, Vaux’s Swift, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Black-backed Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Cassin’s Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, “Western” Flycatcher, Steller’s Jay, Violet-green Swallow, all 3 nuthatches, Brown Creeper, House Wren, both kinglets, Hermit Thrush, Western Bluebird, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Townsend’s Warbler, Western Tanager, Chipping Sparrow, Lazuli Bunting, Brown-headed Cowbird, Red Crossbill, and Cassin’s Finch to name a few.

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